WithIt Education Conference In Charlotte, NC Promises Power Lineup

Furniture World Magazine

For the cost of a $150 registration fee, attendees at this year’s WithIt (Women in the Home Furnishings Industry) Education Conference in Charlotte, NC are sure to get a huge return on their investment, according to the organization’s current president Kelly Peterson, who is also group advertising director for Hearst Publications. “There’s not a better value out there as far as industry conferences go,” said Peterson, who encourages corporations and individuals to attend the three-day event, August 7 -9, titled ‘Mining the Opportunities: Rock Solid Strategies for Success’. “No one can afford to miss being exposed to pertinent business trends, profit-producing ideas and other actionable information that they can take back to their companies or independently run businesses.” This year’s power lineup includes Dr. Louis Csoka, founding partner of APEX Performance, whose clients include Fortune 500 companies. Dr. Csoka specializes in teaching behavioral skills to increase work productivity and performance. A breakout session led by Jon Steele, information technologies director for LKM Communications, will focus on how to use the new social media to maximize marketing investments. Nationally recognized retail furniture sales coach July Taylor of Bassett Furniture offers proven strategies for enhancing performance and decreasing turnover. Home furnishings professionals Ellen Gefen, president, Gefen Productions, and Karen McNeill Harris, president, McNeill Communications Group, Inc., will educate attendees on how to manage press interviews. A panel of successful female industry leaders, including Kim Shaver, vice president communications, Hooker Furniture, Connie Post, president, The Connie Post Companies, and Vickie Cary, dealer and two-time President’s Cup winner, Badcock Home Furnishings & More, will supply action-oriented strategies for succeeding in business. In her keynote address, national speaker Melissa Galt will encourage personal development, as will the remaining breakout sessions. The closing panel discussion featuring a trio of home furnishings stars is titled, “Branding across the Channels: Three Perspectives on Making it Happen.” A pre-conference workshop led by Stephanie Lowder, president, Graphic Solutions, Inc. and Leslie Newby, president, Brand Communications, Inc. is open to registrants for an additional $50, and will allow participants to work on the fundamentals of personal and professional branding, writing a professional biography and developing a 15-second “elevator pitch.” The three-day conference will be held at the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel, where accommodations are available for a special rate through July 9th. The 2007 WOW Awards will be presented August 8th during dinner, which is included in the conference fee. Early registrants are eligible to win a pair of diamond earrings in honor of the organization’s 10-year Anniversary. Registration is available online at www.withit.org For additional inquiries, please contact WithIt executive director, Sara Lyke, at 336-880-2188.